• John McCain,  Mitt Romney,  President 2008,  President 2012

    President 2012: John McCain’s 2008 Opposition File on Mitt Romney Hits the Internet

    Happy Reading!

    The Bain Consulting portion is very damning of Mitt Romney.

    BAIN CAPITAL AND DREXEL BURNHAM

    Romney Used Drexel Burnham Junk Bonds To Finance 1988 Leveraged Buyout, Right Around The Time SEC Officials Were Taking Formal Action Against The Company

    Bain Capital Financed Mid-1988 Deal With Junk Bonds Issued By Drexel Burnham And Notorious Financier Michael Milken.

    “Sometimes, when Bain Capital was looking to make a deal, the bulk of the money came not from its investors but from other sources, such as junk bonds. In 1988, for instance, Bain Capital decided to buy two Texas department store chains, Bealls and Palais Royale, in a deal valued at $300 million. To fund the purchase, Bain sought out Drexel Burnham corporate financiers, based in Boston, who were working under junk bond impresario Michael Milken. Romney and the Bain Capital partner who oversaw the deal, Joshua Bekenstein, said they never dealt with Milken.”
    (Mitchell Zuckoff and Ben Bradlee Jr., “Romney’s Business Record Gives LargerPicture,” The Boston Globe , 8/8/94)
     
    Two Months After Hiring Drexel, The SEC Filed Extensive Complaint Alleging Insider Trading And MarketManipulation – Romney Defended The Decision To Keep Using Drexel In Transaction.

    “On Sept. 7, 1988 -roughly two months after Bain Capital hired Drexel to issue junk bonds – the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a 184-page complaint against Drexel, Milken and others alleging insider trading schemes,manipulation of stock prices and other violations of federal securities laws. Bain Capital was put in the position of trying to close a deal with junk bonds from a company being sued by the SEC. Romney and Bekenstein defended their decision to hire Drexel before the SEC suit – at a time when rumors of the investigation were rife on Wall Street – as well as after the suit was filed.”
    (Mitchell Zuckoff and Ben Bradlee Jr., “Romney’s Business Record Gives LargerPicture,” The Boston Globe, 8/8/94)

    And, here I thought McCain endorsed Romney – a funny game politics.

  • Laura Ingraham,  Newt Gingrich,  President 2012

    President 2012: Newt Gingrich Urges Santorum and Perry to Drop Out of Presidential Race – Bring Conservatives Together Against Romney

    Newt Gingrich on the Laura Ingraham Show

    @4:53 Gingrich: One of my goals over the next four days is to convince South Carolina conservatives that voting for me is the one way that they can stop a moderate from becoming the nominee. And if I can convince enough people that the other votes are for nice guys who aren’t going to win that they functionally help Romney become the nominee.

    Newt Gingrich is correct and the conservative vote is split and there is NO consensus candidate.

    Buoyed by his strong debate performance in Myrtle Beach, Newt Gingrich has called his rivals to drop out of the race because “consolidating into a Gingrich candidacy” would “virtually guarantee victory” in the South Carolina primary and stop Mitt Romney becoming the Republican nominee.

    Making the case to a crowd of almost 200 in an art gallery in the old railroad junction town of Florence, South Carolina he said: “If you look at the polling, I’m the only conservative who realistically has a chance to be the nominee.

    “So any vote for Santorum or Perry in effect is a vote to allow Romney to become the nominee. Because we’ve got to bring conservatives together in order to stop him.”

    But, do Santorum and Perry care?

    Probably not.

    I suspect Perry will withdraw after a dismal Saturday performance in South Carolina and Santorum may not be able to continue due to campaign cash problems.

    Newt could come in second in South Carolina (or even win it) and should a Super Pac fund him enough, weather Florida and hope for better election outcomes – one on one with Romney.

    But, is it too late?

  • CA-26,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26 Video: California State Senator Tony Strickland Announces His Candidacy for Congress

    Tony Strickland and his family, including former California Assemblywoman Audra Strickland

    California State Senator Tony Strickland is in the race for CA-26.

    From the press release: 

    Surrounded by family and supporters, State Senator Tony Strickland today announced his campaign for Congress in an event at the Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum.

    I remember the most important lesson my father taught me: that it’s the duty for every generation to leave their community in a better place than they found it, said Strickland. And that’s why I’m asking to become your next Congressman.

    I expect the campaign ahead to be spirited but I’m committed to uniting our community; Republicans, Democrats, and Independents behind policies that create jobs and economic opportunity for those struggling to make ends meet.

    Strickland also stressed the importance of maintaining a strong national defense and developing alternative energy sources.

    Send me to Congress, and I’ll stand up to those who want to weaken our military and threaten our defense related jobs, he continued.

    Dependence on foreign energy sources makes our energy prices vulnerable and too reliant on unstable and sometimes hostile foreign regimes. We can no longer afford to fund both sides of a war. Energy independence is truly a national security issue, he added.

    Strickland announced at the Aviation Museum at the Camarillo Airport before a group of 100 or so supporters and Ventura County political activists. He joins previously announced candidates, Ventura County Supervisors Steve Bennett and Linda Parks, Oxnard Harbor District Commissioner Jess Herrera, Moorpark City Councilman David Pollock, retired longshoreman Zeke Ruelas of Oxnard and businessman David Cruz Thayne of Westlake Village.

    The seat is being vacated by long-time incumbent Congressman Elton Gallegly who has announced his retirement.

  • Mitt Romney,  President 2012

    President 2012: Mitt Romney and the 15 Per Cent Rate

    Mitt Romney and the suits from Bain

    Mitt Romney has hesitated in releasing his tax returns and is there any wonder why?

    Romney, a high net worth individual ($200 million plus) has been paying an effective tax rate which is lower than lost middle income Americans.

    “What’s the effective rate I’ve been paying? It’s probably closer to the 15 percent rate than anything. Because my last 10 years, I’ve—my income comes overwhelmingly from some investments made in the past, whether ordinary income or earned annually. I got a little bit of income from my book, but I gave that all away. And then I get speakers fees from time to time, but not very much.”

    Think this will hurt his candidacy?

    You betcha and with all of the Bain Capital crap, the Democrats and Obama will have a field day.

    GOP voters better think twice or even three times before they nominate Romney – just sayin’…….

  • CA-26,  Elton Gallegly,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: California State Senator Tony Strickland Announces His Congressional Candidacy

    Tony Strickland and his family, including former California Assemblywoman Audra Strickland

    California State Senator Tony Strickland is in the race for CA-26.

    From the press release:

    Surrounded by family and supporters, State Senator Tony Strickland today announced his campaign for Congress in an event at the Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum.

    “I remember the most important lesson my father taught me: that it’s the duty for every generation to leave their community in a better place than they found it,” said Strickland. “And that’s why I’m asking to become your next Congressman.

    I expect the campaign ahead to be spirited but I’m committed to uniting our community; Republicans, Democrats, and Independents behind policies that create jobs and economic opportunity for those struggling to make ends meet.”

    Strickland also stressed the importance of maintaining a strong national defense and developing alternative energy sources.

    “Send me to Congress, and I’ll stand up to those who want to weaken our military and threaten our defense related jobs,” he continued.

    “Dependence on foreign energy sources makes our energy prices vulnerable and too reliant on unstable and sometimes hostile foreign regimes. We can no longer afford to fund both sides of a war. Energy independence is truly a national security issue,” he added.

    Strickland announced at the Aviation Museum at the Camarillo Airport before a group of 100 or so supporters and Ventura County political activists. He joins previously announced candidates, Ventura County Supervisors Steve Bennett and Linda Parks, Oxnard Harbor District Commissioner Jess Herrera, Moorpark City Councilman David Pollock, retired longshoreman Zeke Ruelas of Oxnard and businessman David Cruz Thayne of Westlake Village.

    The seat is being vacated by long-time incumbent Congressman Elton Gallegly who has announced his retirement.

    I will have video of the announcement later in the afternoon.

  • Mitt Romney,  Polling,  President 2012

    President 2012 GOP Florida Poll Watch: Romney Winning in a Rout

    According to the latest Sunshine State News Poll.

    Two weeks away from the Presidential Preference Primary, Mitt Romney holds a commanding lead over the Republican presidential pack in Florida, according to a Sunshine State News Poll of likely primary voters.

    Romney tops the poll, which was conducted by Harrisburg, Pa.-based Voter Survey Service (VSS), with 46 percent. When he ran in the 2008 primary, Romney placed second in Florida, taking 31 percent and winning 18 of the 67 counties in the Sunshine State.

    “Romney is the clear favorite, and you’d have to conclude he even has a shot to win 50 percent of the GOP vote, depending on what happens in South Carolina,” Jim Lee, the president of Voter Survey Service, told Sunshine State News on Monday. “His media saturation of the Florida airways is clearly having an impact, and, based on what I have learned, he is staying on message by talking about spending and deficits — two issues GOP voters care about.”

    Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich places a distant second with 20 percent. Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, who lost the Iowa caucus to Romney by eight votes, takes third with 12 percent.

    Also, there is the latest Florida PPP Poll.

    Mitt Romney’s in a strong position to win this weekend in South Carolina, and he’s in an even stronger position to follow it up with a big win in Florida.  Our first Sunshine State poll of 2012 finds Romney with a 15 point lead at 41% to Newt Gingrich’s 26% with Rick Santorum at 11%, Ron Paul at 10%, Rick Perry at 4%, and Buddy Roemer at 1% rounding out the field.

    Romney’s lead expands further when you look only at voters whose minds are completely made up, to 48-27 over Gingrich. 71% of his voters say they’ll definitely cast their ballot for him, compared to only 61% who say the same for Gingrich.

    There’s been an enormous shift in Florida since PPP last polled the state right after Thanksgiving. Romney’s gained 24 points, going from 17% to 41%.  Meanwhile Gingrich has dropped 21 points, going from 47% to 26%.

    A time for choosing this Saturday in South Carolina and then onto Florida, where Romney has a commanding lead.

    Looks like this race is just about over.

  • Newt Gingrich,  President 2012,  Rick Santorum

    President 2012: Newt Gingrich Says a Vote for Santorum is a Vote for Romney

    Newt Gingrich speaking at the South Carolina Presidential debate in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina last night

    There is little doubt that Rick Perry, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are dividing up the conservative vote.

    “If you vote for Sen. Santorum, in effect, you’re functionally voting for Gov. Romney to be the nominee. The only way to stop Mitt Romney, for all practical purposes, is to vote for Newt Gingrich. It’s a fact. It’s a mathematical fact,” Gingrich said to reporters after an event in Myrtle Beach, according to the Wall Street Journal.

    “Any conservative who votes for anyone but Newt helps elect a moderate as the nominee,” Gingrich added.

    The former House Speaker went on to criticize Santorum’s defeat in 2006 to Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, in which the incumbent earned just over 41 percent of the vote and lost by more than 700,000 votes.

    “Evangelical voters would like to have a nominee that will win a general election, and somebody who set the all-time Pennsylvania record for the size of their defeat has a harder case to make as to why they could be elected,” Gingrich said.

    Newt has a point, but I doubt Santorum or Perry will voluntarily withdraw with only a few days before the South Carolina primary election.

    Now, after Saturday’s election, this may be a different story.

  • Twitter

    @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-17

    • Mitt Romney still looking shakey after Santorum owned him on felon voting. Romney NOT looking Presidential and suddenly old… #
    • Ron Paul favors a ZERO per cent maximum marginal tax rate –> taking a second look! #
    • Anyone want to bet we never see Romney'ss tax returns in April? He won't release them until he has to because his effective tax rate is low. #
    • 56% of employers check applicants’ Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter | ZDNet http://t.co/293uk49E #
    • Mitt Romney continues to look rattled – Santorum caught him off guard and he is starting to sweat… #
    • Rick Santorum unnerves Romney with felon voting SuperPac issue….Santorum +++ Romney —- Santorum Pwns Romney #
    • Conservatives feud over Santorum endorsement http://t.co/kRh0GReB #
    • Good choice Fox News to have @Kelly_Evans of the WSJ on the South Carolina debate team tonight. #tcot #
    • President 2012 GOP Poll Watch: Does Mitt Romney Have the GOP Nomination Wrapped Up? http://t.co/BfwXNFoU #
    • Day By Day January 16, 2012 – The Play’s the Thing | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://t.co/4XrXIjDo #
    • CA-26: It’s Official – California State Senator Tony Strickland to Announce for Congress Tomorrow | Flap's Blog … http://t.co/aEomFGI0 #
    • Day By Day January 16, 2012 – The Play’s the Thing http://t.co/6HZuPu9z #
    • CA-26:It’s Official – California State Senator Tony Strickland to Announce for Congress Tomorrow #catcot #tcot http://t.co/ZxtHyLau #
    • CA-26: It’s Official – California State Senator Tony Strickland to Announce for Congress Tomorrow http://t.co/ugROoJ05 #
    • @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-16 | Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog http://t.co/P7xN7QSd #
    • Log In – The New York Times http://t.co/a3Hg187d #
    • @Flap Twitter Updates for 2012-01-16 http://t.co/8mRASe9Z #
    • Log In – The New York Times http://t.co/z4MXL6vk #

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